From Dumpster Diver to #GirlBoss

It was not long ago that Sophia Amoruso was dumpster diving for bagels and getting caught shoplifting hair products and shower curtain rings. Now she’s the chief executive of a multi-million-dollar retailer.

Ms. Amoruso founded a vintage clothing store on eBay in 2006 with no seed funding, no managerial experience and, she now says, no idea what she was getting herself into. Inspired by a record from funk singer Betty Davis, she named her company Nasty Gal.

By 2008, the eBay business was growing at such a rapid pace that Ms. Amoroso created a standalone site. Soon after, she expanded the product line to include brand-name as well as vintage clothing. Last year, it generated more than $100 million in revenue.

The next step for Ms. Amoruso, 30 years old: Nasty Gal’s first brick-and-mortar store, set to open this year in Los Angeles. And, with the publication of her new book #GirlBoss and an accompanying foundation, she is positioning herself as a guide for nontraditional entrepreneurs.

Ms. Amoruso’s days of dumpster diving are long gone. She recently bought herself a Porsche, and paid for it in cash. In a recent interview, Ms. Amoruso spoke about her rapid rise in retail, her new foundation and why she believes “cash is king.”